


Fight

by RocioWrites



Series: The Subtle Art of Pairing the Shadow King and the Devilish Twin #2 [9]
Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-25 06:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3800464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RocioWrites/pseuds/RocioWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We…” And Hikaru cuts himself off. Every muscle in Kyouya’s body tenses and he straightens his back so suddenly that a few bones pop soundly. “Had a fight.” The older twin finishes, guilt heightening his words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fight

Hikaru’s distressed voice comes from the other side of the line automatically making Kyouya frown. The Hitachiin sounds desperate and he’s talking so fast that Kyouya can barely understand what’s going on.

“Slow down.” He orders, half annoyed and half concerned already.

Hikaru takes a deep breath and silence fills the moment until a shaky sigh is heard. “Tell me he’s there with you.” He requests brokenly and Kyouya’s frown deepens.

“Who?”

“Tell me Kaoru is there with you, please. Please, please. He’s there with you, right? Just need to know he’s safe.”

As soon as Kaoru is mentioned, every alarm in his mind goes off, screeching in his brain. Kyouya can feel the headache in full force and is actually worried his knees will give out and he’ll collapse because the worried and despairingly distraught tinge in Hikaru’s voice is making it hard to breathe and to remain calm. He forces down the urge to punch something and closes his eyes, a stabbing pain in his temples letting him know that the headache is here to stay.

“Kaoru is not here.” He says as slowly and serene as he can. The surge of emotion cursing through his veins is almost unbearable and Kyouya has a hard time assimilating the fact that Kaoru makes him _feel_ this much. “What happened exactly?”

“We…” And Hikaru cuts himself off. Every muscle in Kyouya’s body tenses and he straightens his back so suddenly that a few bones pop soundly. “Had a fight.” The older twin finishes, guilt heightening his words.

“What happened?” Kyouya tries again, fists tight, nails digging painfully into his empty left palm.

“I said awful things, okay?!” Hikaru snaps. However, it’s easy to notice the self-hatred that goes with his angry spat. “So he left! I said awful things and he left!” The boy sobs and Kyouya’s heart stops, he won’t know what to do if the crying Hitachiin is the older twin instead of Kaoru. “He walked away from me… I thought he’d go somewhere quiet, like our library…” Another sad sob and a shaky breath. “But he’s not here! I looked for him everywhere but he’s not in the house. He hasn’t taken a car either. I don’t know where he is!”

“Okay.” An image of a smiling red-head flashes in his mind and Kyouya physically chases the bad thoughts away by shaking his head.

“We had a fight! I’m awful, I said hurtful things to him!” Hikaru is babbling and Kyouya feels his head pulse with the headache.

“Okay.” He repeats, firm voice carrying authority. “Calm down.” He demands softly yet firmly and Hikaru keeps sobbing on the line, impossible to determine if he’s crying or trying to stop the ragged breathes. “Did he take his phone with him? Have you tried calling him?”

“Yes! He’s not answering!” Hikaru all but recriminates. “I can’t find his phone here but if he took it, he must have turned it off – I can’t reach him!”

“Calm down, we’ll find him.” Kyouya assures because he _needs_ to believe it too. “I’ll call the rest and we’ll be there in a moment. Just calm down.”

“What if something bad happened to him, Kyouya?! What if…?!”

“We’ll find him.” He interrupts. “But for us to do that, you need to calm down, okay? I’ll call the others and be there as soon as possible, can you wait for us there?”

Silence stretches for a moment and somehow Kyouya knows Hikaru is nodding his agreement.

“I can.” The Hitachiin finally says, voice strangled but unwavering. “Hurry up.” He tells him and hangs up, surely to try Kaoru’s number again and again.

Kyouya takes a second to realize this is bad. _Really bad_. He can’t remember a time when he has heard Hikaru so agitated – and much less, he remembers a time when he himself has been so worried about someone else’s safety.

He sits back on the sofa to just breathe and calm his heart that’s beating too fast for his liking and he has to consciously order his hand to relax because the crescent moon shaped marks on his palm are becoming a dangerously angry red color.

_What if something bad happened to him?!_

No, Kyouya can’t think of that now. So erasing all evidence of Hikaru’s troubled voice from his mind, he resolves calling Mori first in the hopes that he can contact Hikaru soon and calm him down.

*

Kicking dirt and cursing his goddamn mobile phone for landing on a mud puddle, Kaoru swears silently to himself that he got this coming. Walking as fast and briskly as he can, he keeps looking for a place to get cover from the pouring rain, clothes completely wet – and really, if his phone hadn’t fallen into that puddle, chances are it would be useless by now with all the water that his pockets have collected.

He sighs because he’s not sure where he is and right now all he wants is to have Hikaru with him and apologize. He wants to make it all better even when he doesn’t know how exactly. His brother might be a lot of things but they don’t lie to each other when it matters so he knows every little insult Hikaru delivered has a root in reality. That’s more than enough to bring tears to the corner of his eyes; blinking them furiously away, the rain masking them is such a small comfort.

His mind is trapped in all those things Hikaru yelled at him and he rushes his steps, ignoring the _squish_ kind of sound that his feet are making by walking and splashing water all around – his pants’ ankles are already stained. Rain is a thick curtain that prevents him from seeing too far ahead so he keeps walking, praying to find some place to cover and soon.

He spent the first eight, ten minutes after he left the house running so now he’s easily out of the secured area of his neighborhood. He guesses that if he maintains this rhythm of quick steps he’ll arrive to the commoners’ part of the city soon enough and there he probably will find some sort of shelter from the storm.

Willing the tears away, Kaoru can’t actually get the fight out of his mind and the words still _sting_. He sighs again, trying to calm the shivers running down his spine, shirt clinging annoyingly against his skin – at this point he doesn’t know if the trembling comes from the cold rain or the half contained sobs. He does know, however, that his chest hurts with the weight of causing Hikaru so much rage.

A car passes right by his side but Kaoru is completely ignored, the vehicle speeding up only to splash more water over him. He curses loudly and a few angry tears roll down his cheek but in the end, he deflates and continues walking, hoping to find a public phone somewhere – even if he has no idea how those work.

*

Kyouya is the last one to arrive at the Hitachiin Residence. The cousins were the first, followed shortly after by Tamaki who picked Haruhi up before heading to console Hikaru. Kyouya isn’t surprised by this, nor by the fact that he’s the last one to come; after all, he had to organize a small amount of men from his Private Police Force (leaded by Tachibana obviously) to search for Kaoru before even leaving his room.

He casually checks his wrist watch and is proud of Hotta for driving _that_ fast, they should have taken at least five extra minutes to arrive if the bodyguard wasn’t so keen on actually helping the younger twin, reckless driving be damned. Kyouya could laugh at this tidbit of information if it wasn’t for the fact that Kaoru is still missing.

And he’s no idealist, he knows the chances of things going wrong. He knows that if they can’t find him soon, things will go public; he will have to contact Hitachiin-sama personally and police will get involved – and if this has progressed to a kidnapping then…

“Kyouya!” Tamaki all but throws himself at his best friend, demeanor beyond worried. “You’re finally here!”

He nods and pats Tamaki’s shoulder. “How is he?” He murmurs tilting his head signaling he’s talking about Hikaru.

“Surprisingly calm right now.” Haruhi inserts herself in the conversation.

“I see.”

What he sees is Mori being a silent support, breathing slowly with the twin and occasionally saying something encouraging. Hani, on the other hand, is sitting right beside the red-head, making Usa-chan hug him while now and then offering bites of a cake he brought. Their senpais are such a great comfort in this family.

“Hani-senpai said he was in a complete state of panic when they came.”

“I can only imagine.” Kyouya answers flatly.

“What’s the plan?” Tamaki asks, solely focusing on Hikaru’s trembling attempt of a smile.

“Should we call the police?” Haruhi proposes.

“No. Not yet at least. I have my men searching for him. According to Hikaru, he didn’t take a car so he couldn’t have gone too far away only walking. Much less with this weather.”

Haruhi shudders at the mention of the weather, the sky outside is completely black – not even gray and not even the kind of dark that happens naturally when night comes. Heavy clouds are already bringing down a powerful rain and she can feel in her guts the announcing fear of a storm forming. Tamaki smiles at her and takes her hand, squeezing once in reassurance. Kyouya also smiles sympathetically at her, acknowledging he was the one who brought this topic up.

She smiles back and for the first time, Kyouya feels the same discomfort at thinking about storms only because he isn’t sure Kaoru is sheltered right now.

*

It had started as a good day, Kaoru muses pitifully to himself while entering a commoners’ café posted on some part of the city he doesn’t remember ever visiting (which is kind of weird because he doesn’t live that far from here, he came _walking_ after all). He was (is, let’s be honest) still unreasonably happy about Kyouya giving him the closest he could get of a copy of _Lady Red_ , as he’s decided to call her – Kaoru will always resent the other for not naming his paintings, what kind of artist doesn’t name their pieces? He just assigns them alphanumerical codes. Then again, Kyouya is all practical edges and functionality; things that Kaoru finds kind of attractive so he can’t really complain about it.

The point is that he was in a good mood and felt it was a good day to approach Hikaru with the idea of separate rooms, he even thought they could spend the weekend planning how to organize themselves better and sort through their things. His brother didn’t have to know about the painting just waiting to find a place of its own or his hidden desire of having a private room at home to make out with Kyouya at will.

The café is warm inside and a sweet smell mixed with the bitter aroma of black strong coffee assaults his nostrils. He scans the place with critic eyes but he’s in no position to be quirky about a possible shelter, the rain hasn’t stopped and if anything, is coming down more forceful than before. A group of five is sitting in the back, drinking and eating and conversing in a low tone and a couple is making eyes at each other perched on high barstools against the counter; no signs of an employee whatsoever.

Kaoru palms his wet mobile phone and smiles sadly resigned, there’s nothing else in his pocket. No one’s paying him attention so he moves as stealthy as he can – not really sneaky considering the _squish_ and _splash_ sounds he makes at every step, but he tries – and takes as little space as he can in the table right against the corner.

It was a good day until the very moment he decided to tell Hikaru about his idea of separate rooms. He should have known better than to bring this up when Hikaru has been behaving weirdly since he started to take care of the club’s finance – or since he started to spend more and more time with Kyouya, that could be it too. He knows it’s not about Kyouya exactly the same way it’s not about Haruhi, it’s about them adjusting at becoming two different individuals and while Kaoru is actively pursuing this, Hikaru is… not so much.

In a vain attempt, he takes the phone out of his pocket and stabs every button waiting for a reaction the device doesn’t offer. He doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at his misfortune.

It’s not that Hikaru doesn’t like the idea of them becoming their own selves but for him it all probably happened way too fast and it makes him uneasy. And his way of managing that uneasiness is to rage. Kaoru knows he’s tried to bottle up that discomfort at the best of his capacities thinking it’d make Kaoru happy. But then Kaoru woke up feeling it was a good day for progress; however, separate rooms were a bit too much for his brother.

He pressured his brother and what for? Now he’s sitting in a café dripping wet with no money and a useless phone.

He sneezes violently once, twice and moans unhappily and dissatisfied, simply deciding that he can do with some time to pity himself. Resting his head on his crossed arms above the table, he closes his eyes and wills his breathing to calm and try to think of a way to go back home – and soon.

*

Hikaru offers him a tiny smile, despair evident in those golden eyes. Kyouya nods his acknowledgement and sits opposite of them – Haruhi has taken place beside Hani and Tamaki is sitting on the carpeted floor between Hikaru and Mori.

“It’s all my fault.” He says shakily and Tamaki pats his knee affectionately.

“Don’t say that Hika-chan.”

“What were you even fighting about this time?” Haruhi presses.

Hikaru mumbles something under his breath and directs an almost shy look towards Kyouya. He says nothing and allows the twin to decide what he will say next.

“Kaoru wants to move out of our room.” The heavy tone makes Hani cringe but it’s kind of funny, really.

Kyouya suppresses a smile, Kaoru is smart like that and has been working hard for this: their individuality still linked by their loving bond. It’s a pity Hikaru doesn’t notice it until it’s too late, but the drifting apart can only culminate in something like this. Or much worse; however, Kyouya refuses to think of such outcome.

“Why?” Mori is the one asking this time.

Hikaru shrugs. “Dunno.” He takes a deep breath. “I guess he wants us to become independent. Or something like that.”

Kyouya’s eyes widen slightly. So Hikaru _does_ know.

Haruhi opens her mouth, stern admonishment coming his way. However Tamaki is quicker and he speaks before she can manage to utter a syllable.

“Don’t you agree?” Tamaki says so tenderly and melodically that he almost missed the words. Hikaru inspects the blond, face contorted in absolute regret. “Don’t you think that having a room for you alone can be fun?”

The twin nods stiffly. “Yeah. I guess so.”

She looks at Tamaki and then at Hikaru. They’re watching each other and the way Hikaru surrenders so easily at Tamaki’s sweet tone is astonishing, he deflates quite rapidly and Tamaki smiles brightly and comforting, soft twinkling eyes making it a bit better. It’s amazing, Kyouya can see the wonderment in her posture.

“I bet it’ll be fun!” Hani chimes in and Mori _Un_ s in agreement. “And if you ever feel lonely, well, you have your friends right here.”

Hikaru laughs and nods. “I know.” And Mori ruffles his hair, a strong yet undemanding presence with the right nurturing nature to be an important pillar in the twin’s life. “I guess we could paint our rooms different colors, right?” It sounds sad still but they’re going in the right direction.

“Kaoru should paint his with some dark shade of blue I think.” Kyouya decides to join in, the corner of his lips curving.

The twin takes it as the joke it is meant to be and snorts. “I’ll re-paint it all the times it takes for Kaoru to realize I won’t accept him using a color _you_ suggested.”

Hani giggles. “If Kyo-chan is giving Kao-chan advices on this, I want Hika-chan to paint his room pink!” He exclaims, stuffing his mouth with cake but the huge amused smile is impossible to hide even around his mouthful.

Hikaru splutters, almost horrified at the idea. On the other hand, Tamaki’s eyes light up instantly and his whole person looks like it’s sparkling.

“Pink is such a cute and nice color! Hikaru, you should paint your room that color!” He insists and Hikaru uses his legs to push him around a bit, Tamaki latches at the offending appendage and rubs his cheek on his knee. “Paint it pink, paint it pink!” The blond chants.

Haruhi out-right laughs at the absurdity.

And Kyouya almost – _almost_ – can forget his concern about the younger twin. This foolish people who insist on not only being friends but family also are _good_.

*

A thud against the table he’s resting on makes him look up. A middle aged woman is looking down at him, and if that’s her resting face it seems like she’s eternally scowling.

Kaoru readies himself to be kicked out and the loud rain outside doesn’t sound appealing at all.

“Don’t sleep here.” She says, voice calm and steady.

“Um, I wasn’t sleeping.” He replies going for a sweet smile. He might as well try the shy cute approach to gain some sympathy.

She inspects him for a moment, silent contemplation written all over her face. Kaoru notices that no one’s paying them any attention and even despite the fact that she doesn’t look like the café employee, she sure as hell commands enough respect that it’s possible she’s the manager or the owner of this place. Hmm, he thinks casually that he didn’t see the name of the shop before entering.

“Escaping from the weather, then?” And a half smile makes itself present at her lips.

Kaoru dares to look outside and indeed the storm has only risen. “Definitely.”

“And escaping from something else?”

He blinks, caught off guard by this. “Excuse me?”

Her smile widens but it’s not ill-intentioned. “Oh, nothing.” She rectifies. “Want a hot coffee cup?”

Kaoru would kill for a hot beverage and warm dry clothes at the moment, his cold body resents the rain so badly that shivers shake him whole. He smiles sheepishly.

“I’d love to, but I don’t have any money on me right now.”

She watches him some more and her eyes land on the useless phone between his hands only to then survey his drenched clothes. “No problem.” And this time the smile lights her whole expression and it reminds him of his mother a bit.

She walks away, vanishing into a door he didn’t see before – and moments later, she re-appears with two steaming hot cups.

“Thank you.” He mumbles meekly, taking the offered coffee and holding it for a few seconds to heat his trembling hands. She nods and sits in front of him, sipping her cup.

“It’s on the house.” She assures.

Kaoru smiles and tastes the coffee carefully as to not burn his tongue. “What’s this?” He can’t help but ask.

The woman arches an eyebrow at him. “Decaf.” She scoffs. “You’re what? Fifteen? I’m not giving you something strong, kid.”

He frowns but drinks it nonetheless, his body is adoring the warm feeling down his throat, reaching every limb. Nodding, he remains silent, humming appreciatively as he starts regaining his corporal heat.

The couple on the stools decide it’s time go and he watches them put their coats back on, all the while maintaining a soft intimate talk. They bow in goodbye, smiling at the woman sitting with him and then a huge umbrella is pulled out of nowhere. When they step outside, they plaster one against the other under it. It’s kinda cute.

It makes him smile and imagine what it’d be like to do that with Kyouya.

“Ah, that smile looks better on you.” She mentions, having finished her cup. He blushes and hides it on his own coffee cup. “So…” She starts and he looks up, focusing childish eyes on her. “What is a kid like you doing out of his home in a weather like this?”

“Oh.” How perceptive, damn.

“Fought with your parents?” She guesses and he pales a bit. Her fingers drum against the flat table providing a constant rhythm that goes well with the pitter-patter of the rain.

Kaoru looks away, ashamed. “With my brother.” He provides.

He expects her to laugh it off and mark something like this as petty, he squeezes his cup and wishes to be back at the mansion even if that means keep fighting with Hikaru right now.

The drumming stops. “How badly?” She asks instead.

His eyes go wide with surprise and she smirks at his incredulity.

“We’ll make up.” And it’s the truth.

“Good.”

She picks up her cup, stands up and leaves. Kaoru watches her go, quite amazed and ready to make up with Hikaru.

He may have told him rude things and he may be against having separate rooms, but they’re twins, united until the very end. And Kaoru will hug him, forgive him, apologize and set things right – however that will get accomplished.

*

Tamaki is excitedly telling them about his training sessions with Antoinette which go terribly awful and are completely unsuccessful. Kyouya knows he’s trying to keep them distracted and laughing, every minor accident being magnified if only to lighten up the mood.

Hikaru and Haruhi are appreciative of it but Kyouya can’t shake the weight off of his shoulders, he’s starting to get impatient and if he doesn’t receive news soon he might as well go himself to look for the younger twin. He knows rationally that one more person can’t make that much of a difference, especially when he has no idea where Kaoru could have gone. But still, staying here doing nothing makes his blood boil. Fortunately, the same feeling has been placated in Hikaru thanks to everyone’s support.

And that’s when he notices that Mori and Hani are looking right at him – right _through_ him. Hani has the most empathic expression he’s seen in a long time while Mori offers this fundamental understanding of his dilemma, eyes soft and tentative curl of lips. He’s worried sick but he can’t act too much on it because that would bring suspicious and Hikaru doesn’t need the added problem of having to explain what’s happening between Kaoru and Kyouya.

They know.

He’s so lost in this acknowledgment that his mobile ringing startles him.

Everyone is automatically on alert, directing side looks at Hikaru before staring holes into Kyouya’s head. He fishes for the device and answers it in swift motions, delicate fingers pressing it against his ear.

“Yes?” He murmurs, eyeing the others as expressionless as he can manage. Tachibana’s voice flows from the other side of the line, tone firm and steady. “I see.” He informs him something else and the rest are dying to just know what the hell Kyouya’s being told. He allows himself a small honest smile and Hikaru sighs explosively, so relieved that every muscle in his body relax at once. “That’s good. Thank you.” He finally hangs up.

Tamaki is looking at him with such raw admiration that he has to will a blush away.

“Is he okay?” Hikaru questions. “Where is he?”

“Kaoru is fine, completely unharmed and inside a coffee shop not that far away from here.” He assures them.

Haruhi and Mori relax too, a lot more subtly than Hikaru but it’s understandable. Hani, much like Tamaki, is looking at Kyouya with respect but somehow he doesn’t feel the urge to look away and blush at Hani’s stare as he did with Tamaki’s.

“Then what are we waiting for?” The twin jumps from the couch, grabbing Tamaki and bringing him to a standing position too.

The blond seems mildly dazed at the sudden movement but nods and prompts Kyouya to lead the way. Hani inspects him and frowns for a moment, exchanging a few glances with Mori.

Kyouya stands up too but he rounds the coffee table that separated him from the others and with a hand on Hikaru’s shoulder, he tries to smile comfortingly. “I don’t think we all should go.”

“What?” The protest comes from Tamaki this time and Hikaru is glaring daggers at the Shadow King.

“Like hell!” Hikaru yells and since Tamaki hasn’t let go of his hand, he restrains the red-head. “And what? Let you go there by yourself and be the knight in shining armor? Keep dreaming, he’s _my brother_ , I’m picking him up!”

Kyouya blinks but doesn’t back down.

“Hikaru.” Haruhi breathes, not a warning, not encouragement. She simply reminds him that they’re all there because they care.

“I actually think it’d be better if Hani-senpai alone were to bring Kaoru back.”

The small blond looks dutifully surprised at his suggestion and Hikaru goes slack, mouth hanging open.

“Ah.” Mori utters.

Kyouya could explain his reasoning, that Hani is actually completely neutral and will be the perfect friend to talk things out with Kaoru – if the boy needs to vent or confess something difficult, he won’t have to worry about hurting Hikaru or Kyouya’s feelings. Kyouya _could_ explain. However, he doesn’t.

“I have a car waiting for you, Hani-senpai.” He says when Hikaru doesn’t oppose.

*

The older boy makes no sound whatsoever, crossing the door noiselessly and the other doesn’t notice him until he’s right at his table.

“Hani-senpai.” Kaoru is clearly surprised but relieved as well. “I thought…”

“You had us all worried.” He says, sitting in front of him and frowning in disapproval.

Kaoru looks down, biting his bottom lip, cheeks dusting a tender pink color. “I thought Kyouya-senpai would come looking for me.” He confesses in the tiniest voice, hands clasping an empty coffee cup.

Hani chuckles a moment, giving Kaoru a sort of compassionate look. He loses the scowl because Kaoru is fine, that’s the important part. “Ah. Yes. We _all_ wanted to come for you. Kyo-chan is pretty sure the fight with Hika-chan was somehow in some way related to your relationship.” Kaoru’s mouth forms a soundless ‘O’. “So he sent me.”

“So you _do_ know about us, senpai.”

“Yup. Didn’t Kyo-chan tell you…?”

“Mori-senpai knows too, right?” He cuts the other as if implying Kyouya said something but not _everything_.

Hani only nods this time, unsurprised at the other’s lack of shock. “Hika-chan is really worried.” He prefers to move this conversation forward though.

“Yeah. I know.”

“We all were.” Hani tilts his head and puts both hands on the table. “Hika-chan told us he didn’t behave nicely.”

Kaoru snorts. “Neither did I.” Hani nods slowly. “But he’s right, you know?”

“About what?”

He laughs a self-depreciating scoff. “Hikaru told me about all the things that are wrong with Kyouya-senpai and me being together.”

Hani blinks energetically. “What?” He barely manages to say, cursing in the back of his mind that he didn’t bring Mori with him to keep him calm.

“I still call him senpai.” He pauses. “We basically don’t date. And we haven’t really told anyone else.”

It doesn’t sound so bad. Until you consider that by ‘anyone else’ he means their closest friends – who are closer than blood-related family to be honest. And Hani knows better than to believe Kaoru isn’t the kind of person who _needs_ shows of affection.

“Does it bother you?” He asks either way to confirm it.

Kaoru avoids his gaze, a bit embarrassed. “Hikaru only said those things because he knows they bother me and I don’t really talk about them.”

Hani sighs. “Have you tried talking to Kyo-chan about these things?”

Kaoru gives a weak smile. “What do you mean communication is the base of any healthy relationship?” He jokes half-heartedly but it never reaches his eyes.

Hani smiles with him, sweetly, and pats him on the arm. “You can’t bottle up everything. You know that much, Kao-chan.”

“Yeah.” The sad smile and glassy eyes tell Hani all he needs to know. “And evidently, Hikaru can’t bottle his feelings up either. I’ve seen him battle with all these things trying to keep quiet because he didn’t want to hurt my feelings but in the end…” He releases the cup and puts it aside, toying with Hani’s fingers.

“In the end, what?” The other prompts.

“The fight isn’t about Kyouya and me, I know. Hikaru has a hard time processing that we’ll have to become self-sufficient and break out from this world for two.” Hani goes and takes Kaoru’s hands in his. “I can deal with that anger, the discomfort at spending less time together – that will fade away.” Hani nods and squeezes his hands. “But if he detests my relationship with Kyouya… that’s harder to live with.”

Kaoru looks away, the group of five is still chatting and eating dessert with a new set of coffee mugs although there’s no sign of the owner or manager or whoever that woman is.

Hani allows him the moment of silence to compose himself and then barges on. “Hika-chan said those things in such a disrespectful way because he was mad and he wasn’t thinking clearly. He said them above all else because he worries about your happiness – he wants you to have a merry life, Kao-chan. He acknowledges that Kyo-chan is your choice but that doesn’t mean that things are perfect, right? You said so yourself.” Kaoru nods once, slowly. And he smiles reassuringly. “It’s okay. You and Hika-chan will grow and will manage to be yourselves without stopping to love each other. And you’re still on time to talk with Kyo-chan about how you truly feel.”

The smile Hani offers him is blindly bright and sincere and it automatically makes Kaoru feel better about the whole ordeal. And he has to admit the other is right – he still has time, to be a good brother and a good boyfriend. To be a good friend too.

“Yeah.” He smiles sheepishly. “Sorry to worry all of you.”

“Then let’s go back to your house so you can tell them that yourself.”

Kaoru pales, eyes going wide. “They’re all in our house?”

The sweet child-like laugh of Hani doesn’t comfort him about this fact. The older student stands up and pulls him up by their linked hands, tugging him towards the door.

“Let’s go, Kao-chan!”

*

Hikaru runs towards him and hugs him as tightly as he can, he doesn’t care if Kaoru’s clothes are still completely wet nor the fact that everyone else is there. He buries his face in Kaoru’s neck and whispers _sorry_ over and over again, voice half broken already.

Kaoru’s eyes get glassy and he hugs his brother back, a hand finding its way to Hikaru’s lower back and drawing comforting circles there.

“I know. I’m sorry too.” He mumbles back, tears stinging.

Over Hiraku’s shoulder, he sees Tamaki and Haruhi smiling wide and fondly at them. Mori is standing right beside Kyouya, large hand on his shoulder – giving him support or restraining him for a moment longer, he doesn’t know.

“All the things I said…” Hikaru moves away enough to look him in the eyes and Kaoru smiles softly, tenderly.

“It’s okay.”

They press their foreheads together, evening their breaths to get back in synch after the fight. The others wait patiently which Kaoru is immensely grateful for.

“Are you okay?” Haruhi finally intervenes, handing him a towel.

“Yes, just…” He uses the towel to dry his hair. “Ugh, just drenched.”

“That’s fixable.” Mori comforts him, hand once again at his side.

Kyouya, on the other hand, is looking at him with the most unreadable look he has seen in the older boy – and is that a glint of unadulterated relief in his gray eyes?

“You had us all worried, Kaoru!” Tamaki whines loudly and breaks his concentration, so he hides his blush at being caught inspecting Kyouya under the towel.

“Sorry about that, Milord.”

However, Tamaki isn’t happy with only words and hugs him too. Hani giggles and adds himself to the hug, urging Hikaru to join as well. Mori, all serious as he seems, grabs Haruhi and they too take the chance to hug Kaoru. The poor boy directs a pleading look at Kyouya, who only smiles amused and mouths _You had it coming_ soundlessly.

 _Traitor_ he mouths back at him, glaring some and then smiling, he can’t stay mad when all his friends are hugging him like he’s the most important person in the world.

“Okay, okay, I get it.” He says out loud for the rest, gleeful despite it all. “I’m sorry, won’t do it again. Now please, let me get a hot shower and dry clothes!”

“We’ll wait here.” Tamaki announces all regal when the embrace is over and Hikaru rolls his eyes.

The brothers go hand in hand, leaving the others in the living room, steps in synch as always.

“I’m really sorry about what I said.” Hikaru murmurs once they’re out of earshot.

“And I’m sorry about what I said.”

He grimaces. “You weren’t that vicious.” He reminds his younger brother. “But apology accepted. And… uh… what I said about Kyouya, I…”

Kaoru stops them before reaching their room, and squeezes Hikaru’s hand. “I know. What you said… was a tad hurtful. But you were mostly right, I’ll talk to Kyouya-senpai about this. I’m sorry I’ve been making you worry about my relationship with him.”

The other shakes his head and starts walking again, bringing Kaoru with him. “It’s okay, it’s not like I will stop worrying any time soon. You’re my little brother, that won’t ever change. Right?” The smile he flashes it’s beautifully caring and honest and it takes Kaoru’s breath away for a few seconds.

“Right.”

“It’s not about Kyouya-senpai specifically, you know? It’s about how— it’s just that I never thought about how things would be once we grew up.”

“We’re still growing up.” He mentions, grinning and opening the door.

“You know what I mean!” Kaoru snickers but lets him continue while he starts undressing. “I… I appreciate what you did for me, what you keep doing for me. Kaoru, I’m sorry I didn’t notice before.”

Kaoru stops in his tracks, one leg up as he’s trying to take his pants off. He puts the foot back down on the floor and stares. “What?”

“I’ve been talking to Mori-senpai and he has brought to my attention that we’ve starting to distance ourselves.” Kaoru’s eyes go wide. “In a positive way! Like, I find it easier to talk to Mori-senpai while you go talk to Hani-senpai, right? We’re different after all. I mean, you dig the Shadow King, how more different than that can we be?” He jokes, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

Despite the nature of the conversation, Kaoru finds it hilarious and starts laughing with all he’s worthy until he almost trips with his own pants. He refrains from mentioning that Hikaru digs Haruhi _and_ Tamaki at the moment, he doesn’t believe the other is ready for that kind of wisdom to be put upon him.

“Oh my God, Hikaru!” He says in between coughing fits of unstoppable laughter. “Shut up!”

“No, wait. So, thing is I know now that you’ve been working for us to grow and learn how to be ourselves! And… thanks.” The laughing stops and Hikaru’s soft flush is so endearing. “I bet it wasn’t easy. I’m sorry I made things harder. And I’m sorry I overreacted today.”

Kaoru finally removes his pants and stands upright, smiling at his brother. “It wasn’t easy, it still isn’t. But it’s okay.”

Hikaru smiles back. “I think you’re right, we should have separate rooms.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He kicks imaginary dirt on the floor and adds at last: “Also, since we should let everyone know we’re different, I thought… I could dye my hair.” Kaoru blinks foolishly at him, mouth open ready to question if he heard him right. “I mean, we’re twins – I don’t want Kyouya-senpai grabbing me thinking I’m you and doing weird things to me!” He sports a Hitachiin trademark smirk and winks at him.

Kaoru is render uselessly in love with his brother by this. He laughs and mock punches him on the shoulder.

“As if. He knows better than that.”

“I don’t know bro, don’t forget I’m irresistible.” Hikaru sing-songs and gives a step back in case Kaoru feels the need to smack him on the head.

“You wish.” Kaoru counteracts and sticks his tongue out. However, his tender smile full of fond admiration is enough to erase any animosity at the playful comebacks they’re sharing. “You don’t have to do things you don’t want to because of me.” He clarifies in a tiny voice, turning around and marching to the attached bathroom.

“I know. But this is good. You want separate rooms and I want to become a sexy brunet, I think it all works out in the end.” Kaoru hears the wink in the intonation and snorts. “You can be the sexy red-head.” Hikaru continues even when Kaoru closes the bathroom’s door – more out of habit than modesty.

“I thought you were already irresistible.” He teases, voice carrying a loud tone to sound above the running water.

Hikaru’s reply gets drown by that same sound but Kaoru doesn’t really care for it, the important has been said and done. He smiles silently to himself as the hot shower warms his whole body and the love his friends have shown him today warms his soul.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so, I really wanted to get Hikaru dying his hair - and this is the way I found to make it happen. Hope this doesn't seem too rushed or anything though.


End file.
